Love is a Battlefield
by 3.1415927
Summary: Apollo is a player. But when he gets sent to Camp Half-Blood, does he start to actually care for some one? That special some one is quite, quite special. And when Thalia is captured... Anything can happen. T for paranoia.
1. Don't mess with Zeus

**_Golly gee! There are only 7 Apollo romance Fan-Fictions. That's terrible. I actually think he is a great character in romance. Just because he's... Apollo. Without further ado, the story._**

**_Okay actually there is one more ado (whatever that is). I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. _**

Apollo's POV

"Hey, baby," I say, passing a random girl on the streets of Manhattan. I really don't know what I am doing in the mortal world, I was just bored. And in the mortal world, girls don't know I'm Apollo. And they're not Goddesses. So they can't fry me.

She blushes, but keeps on walking. Hm. That's a disappointment.

Then I see a totally a totally smokin' girl. She's wearing all black and a spiked choker. I casually walk up to her.

"Hey, baby. If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put u and I together."

"Really? I'd put f and u together."

I love when they play hard to get. I try again. "Is God crying right now? 'Cause I think he's missing his prettiest angel."

"I'm an atheist."

Peachy. What else can I do? Ah, yes. "I think I've seen you somewhere."

"That's why I don't go there anymore." She starts briskly walking away, but I am a God. I do whatever I please.

I catch up to her and walk beside her. Time to use some of my power.

"Why don't you come to my place? Tonight, 7:00. I live right there. " I point to a random house. The owners won't mind.

"Yes... NO. I don't even know your name." She's stuttering. I almost got her.

"Dally."

"Oh... Um... Oka-" She gets cut off by a loud thundering, and a flash of lightning that lands right next to us.

"APOLLO." A booming voice says. What does Zeuswant now? "STEP AWAY FROM MY CHILD. YOU ARE TO HAVE A HEARING IMMEDIATELY. THAT MEANS NOW, IF YOUR BRAIN DOES NOT REGISTER BIG WORDS."

Crap... Now I've done it. I had no clue she was Thalia! What was she doing on the streets, anyway?

I teleport to the Zeus's place.

"What?" I ask, annoyed.

"You have violated my child. Your punishment is 2,000 years of work at the demi-god school. Have fun."

And with that, I was suddenly standing in front of twelve cabins.

**_That was... Odd. I didn't really know what I was gonna do, I just started writing. I promise there will be romance. I just had to get Apollo to Camp Half-Blood. Peace!_**

**_--3.1415927_**


	2. Does Apollo actually have feeling?

**_All right, sorry for the hold-up. Some one seriously needs to find a cure for writers block... I'm just gonna let it flow. Wow, that sounded awkward. Whatever. And also, I have no clue when this story takes place. So, yeah. Sorry if there are some plot spoilers, but I doubt there are._**

**_DISCLAIMER: Ha ha ha, I know own Percy Jackson and the Olympians! Just kidding. Sadly. I don't own a thing. Yet._**

Apollo's POV

"Um... What just happened?" A random kid asked while walking by.

"Hey... It's Daddy!!"

Daddy? Oh yeah... I have children. That means I'm at...

Camp Half-Blood.

Zeus wasn't kidding.

He usually doesn't go through with his punishments.

I guess you don't almost make-out with his daughter.

Ah well... Dang, some of my daughters are HOTT!

"Apollo?" I turn around and there is Dionysus.

"Hey, my man! Haven't seen you since that party!"

"That party is why I'm here, fool!" He barks.

"Sheesh, okay okay."

"Apollo. What a 'lovely' surprise" Chiron says, clomping up to me and putting air quotes on lovely.

"And Chiron. Always the comedian." I put in bitterly, thinking of all the times he had gotten me busted for... Stuff.

"What is little visit for? You've seemed to care about others before." Chiron asks with a slightly huffy tone.

"Aw, come on, Chi-Chi, buddy. Never too late to satrt caring about..." I take a deep breath and say, "children."

"Do NOT call me 'Chi-Chi', we are NOT buddies, and I know that you are NOT here on the kinndness of your heart."

"All right, all right! Touchy. I actuallf got sent here by Zeus because... Of reasons."

Chiron arches an eyebrow. "Apollo. How can you even dare to show up here, act like you own the place, and not tell us the reason for why you are here?"

"I was getting to that. Eventually." Might as well tell them. It's not as if they don't already figure. "I heavily flirted with Zeus's daughter then used my powers to make her come home with me and make-out. Or at lest she almost did, before Zues interupted right there in the middle of the street!"

A lot of the kids snicker, but Chiron cuts them short. You said that it was Zues's daughter?"

"Yeah, that's kinda why he reacted so badly."

"That means that Thalia is out on the streets!"

"Oooh, Thalia. Mysterious. Sexy. It fits her," I say, grinning devilish-ly.

"That means that the daughter of one of the most powerful gods is outside on the streets of Ney York! Alone! Unprotected!" Chiron screams. The kids start to talk, but again Chiron cuts them off with a "tshhhhhsst!"

I really don't know what's going on or care, but curiousty wins out. "What's going on?"

"Thalia, the daughter of one of the most powerful Gods, is out of the protection of the Camp. Alone. With no one to protect her. And bug bad monsters want nothing more than to kill her." Dionysus says sloly, as if speaking to a three-year-old.

"Oohh... I get it! Why should I care?"

"BECAUSE IT'S ZUES'S FRIKIN' DAUGHTER!" He yells at me.

Ugh... "Whatever. I don't have to help get her back, do I?"

"No, no. Stay here and relax while we go work our buts off!"

"Okay, I'm cool with that. I know how to chillax"

Dionysus fumes for a second, then just walks away. I guess he thought it wasn;t worth it. Awesome, I can get off from doing work! Maybe this won't be so bad...

Aw, who am I kidding. I hate this place and every one in it. Even if the girls are pretty hot. This sucks.

I go to sit in a random lawn chair in front of what I take to gbe the Ares cabin.

After about ten minutes I hear a girls voice say "Hello, that's my chair. Move your big butt out of it."

Annoyed, but ready to play with a chick, I change into one of my hottest forms and turn around. Standing there is a tall, kind of stocky girl that took my breath away.

"I said MOVE! I know that's you, Apollo. You can't fool me with looks.

For once, I am at a loss for words. How can a girl move me in such a way? She's... Beautiful, not hot. Gorgeous. And I like her spunk, that rebel attitude.

"May I know your name?"

"What are you playing at?' She asks, narroming her eyes.

"Just tell me your name. That's all I ask of you!" I need to know her name!

"Clarisse. Clarisse La Rue."

_**Ha ha, mild cliffie! I know. I know. I'm the kind of girl who will so mad that I scream when an author leaves a cliff-hanger, then go and write a story where all the chapters end in cliff-hangers. O.o**_

_**-3.1415927**_


	3. Who is that mysterious voice?

_**Hey! I am BACK! And in computers! I will try to write more, but I have other stories that I really needed to work on. Sorry. :]**_

_**Roses are red, violets are blue. I own nothing, so you don't sue. Kapeesh?**_

Apollo POV

I blink, blink again, and again. The gorgeous girl is still there. But I try and pretend she's not there.

This is… Weird. But I shake my head and try to get that girl, Clarisse, out of my head. Try to forget her face, her lips… And how she affected me.

I lay back, and pretty soon I do forget. At least, I forget what she did to me. I could not get her face out of my head.

"Helloo? I said MOVE!" She says impatiently.

Wait… Clarisse is still… There? Oh. And I'm… In her… Chair?

It all comes back to me in a rush. Thalia, Camp Half-Blood, everything. I was so wrapped up in Clarisse, so wrapped up in trying to forget her, I forgot what was going on.

"Do you have ears, Apollo? Get. Out. Of. My. Chair. NOW."

I loved the way she said my name. As if in a trance, I stand up and move away. I walk to the dock. I sit down and dangle my feet in the water. Now, just forget…. Forget… Forget…

I NEED to be a player again.

Eventually, I fall asleep. Well, technically speaking, I can't sleep. But you get what I mean. I hope.

Thalia POV

So, it was Apollo. Figures.

I keep walking.

Wait, where am I? Buildings? Skyscrapers? What the heck?

The last thing I remember is Camp Half-Blood. Then…

Nothing.

That's not possible. I always know what's going on. I always know what happened and who did it. This just can't be happening.

Maybe it's like a… A test. That some god or goddess is putting me through. Maybe it's Artemis. She's always trying to get me to join the Hunt. She knows I want to. So maybe she's seeing if I know what to in an emergency situation.

"Well, I know what to do, Artemis!" I say. I get a few odd looks from the people around me, but I ignore them.

Hm… Well, first off, I have to assess where I am. Tall buildings, smog, millions of people, all trying to get somewhere RIGHT NOW…

New York, New York.

Next step. The five questions.

Who? Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus.

What? A demi-god.

Where? New York City… But where am I from?

Why? I'm lost… And confused.

How? I don't know!

I need to know where to go. How can I do much else when I don't know where to go?

There's something bothering me. Something I should know. It's important. Life or death. It's…

Right in front of me. A monster. Of course. I am daughter of Zeus, and they want to kill me more than anything else on this earth. And there's about 15 of 'em. How could I forget?

I reach for my sword. My hand grasps air.

What? I never go anywhere without it.

I go to my bracelet that's really a shield. My arm is bare.

I panic.

"Ar-Artemis? How do you expect me to do anything without any defenses?" I say, hoping it's still some ruse she has cooked up.

One of the monsters, a Campe, smiles. "This is no trick of the gods. It's the great master plan of L-"

It gets cut off by a nymph. "Do not leak the secrets of the Great Lord, fool," she spits out.

By this time, I'm halfway down the block. What where they talking about? It doesn't matter if I get eaten, I scold myself.

Where am I running to? Who am I running to?

I turn a corner, and there is about four Hydras. I cross the street and cars honk, breaks squeal. I'm panicked, confused, and completely surrounded.

"Trapped," I hear one of the monsters snarl. I turn my head, right left, right again. There's no escape. I try to run, but I just get punched, kicked, scratched, bitten.

"Help! Help!" I scream. I'm confused. They're everywhere. All around. No where to turn. No where to go.

I'm panicked. I can't think. Can't breathe…

And finally, I blank out. I don't know if I fainted or if I was knocked out, but there's blissful blackness. The last thing I hear is laughing. "Looks like I got you know, Thunderbolt." How odd. That's my old nickname.

My last registered thought is that that voice sounded all too familiar.

_**YAY! I actually updated! And pretty good, if I do say so myself. I have a lot of other Fan-Fictions, so I will be working on those. But I shall update!**_

_**Man, I HATE writers block... **_

_**-3.1415927**_


	4. To The Rescue!

**_I know, I know. I haven't updated in a while. Well I am now. I've kinda been obsessing over Bleach, an anime. But it's summer now so I should update more. Maybe._**

**_A shout out to Knisley24 and TheEvilSmileyFace for guessing correctly of whom the "Dark Lord" is. You saw straight through my futile attempts to add more drama. :] _**

**_Owning status: NOTHING _**

Apollo POV

"So. Where am I staying?" I'm in front of Chiron. He's in centaur form, hoping to make me nervous. It's working.

"In the Apollo cabin." He curtly replies.

"But..." I trail of. He's glaring at me. I feel like I'm in grade school, being punished by the teacher.

"Also, some rules. Keep your hands off the campers. No partying. No alcohol." He goes on, banning every fun thing that there is to do.

I sigh. "What can I do?"

He looks like he's actually pondering what to say. As if. "Not much. Help out. Clean up. So on."

I trudge to the cabin. Might as well check it out.

And there she is. Clarisse. I brush right past her. Can't let myself even look at her.

Once inside the cabin, I slam the door and lean against it, taking deep breaths. Why does she effect me like that?

I look around. Almost every kid in the cabin is staring at me. What do they expect?

"Hey... Uh..."

A kid with blonde hair and green eyes cuts me off. "Apollo... Don't even start." He turns back to his book.

I'm taken aback, but whatever. I must admit... I made some pretty good lookin' kids.

All the kids glare at me for a while, then return to whatever they were doing. Man, this is awkward.

I sit on an empty bunk. "That's not yours." Some one says.

"Oh really? Then which one is mine?" I'm starting to get annoyed. What's their problem?

They all silently point to one in the corner, not stopping wheat they're doing.

I lay down on the bed. It's broken in the middle, and separated from the rest of the cots.

Fine. Let them be blah. I don't need them.

I'm so bored, I feel so confined...

I rush outside. That was weird. I'm never claustrophobic.

The beach. That sounds good right now.

There's a ton of people swimming, some girls tanning. I smile at one. She turns to the other side.

I must not be very liked around here.

Eh. Oh well.

I decide to look like I'm tanning, while really checking out the girls. It works for me.

I sigh. Man, this camp sucks... I can't do ANYTHING. I can't even flirt. The kids hate me!

I shake my head. Maybe they don't all loathe me with a passion.

I give myself a mental applause for using two big words in one sentence.

But seriously. What do they expect me to do?

I decide to take out my iGod (a name of my own invention... Get it? iPod?) And crank up the volume.

When I finally zone back into the real world, some girls are staring at me. Finally, they've come to their senses. I smile cockily at them. A few blush and turn away, some flip their hair at me. Some wink.

Yes. I am victorious.

I don't know what happened... I mean, not even an hour ago, they all hated me...

I guess I shouldn't really care, but something's bothering me. Something seems... Off.

I push my self out of my chair, and start heading towards the main cabin.

I knock, unsure what else to do. No one answers. "Hellooo?" I call out. Still no response. I shrug, and walk inside.

"Chiron? Come out come out where ever you are." I try to laugh. It comes out shaky. Where are they?

I go to my last resort. "Dionysus?" I really don't want to have to talk to him, but I have to.

A kid walks in. What's his name... Percy. Yeah, him.

"What are you looking for, Apollo?" He asks.

"Um... Every single person in charge? They all disappeared."

"Yeah, we found out that Thalia was captured."

"Well that sucks. Anyway, can you tell me what's up with all the girls? They hated me, and now they're... I don't know."

"Oh, Chiron told them to ignore you. Now he's not here. They don't have to follow his rules." He explains.

"I can't believe him..." That's just like Chiron. "Well, what about you?" I notice he's dressed in full battle armor.

"I'm gonna go rescue Thalia. Duh."

"She's in that much trouble?" Maybe I should help... No, why does it matter? She's fine.

"Well... It's Luke. He's taken her."

That little brat again? When will he learn? "Seriously? Whatever. You've got it covered."

He stares at me, then leaves. I watch him go, sown the hill to where other kids are waiting. All looking grim.

I feel... Guilty. But why should I care? They can handle it.

I sigh, and head out the door. I almost run into Clarrise on my way back to the beach. She's got a helmet on and looks ready to pummel anything.

I blink. She's still stunning. But...

"Why aren't you doing anything!" She snaps.

"Well... I... Um..."

"Of all people who could save Thalia! I'm not a big fan of her, but she's still part of this camp. I'm going to save her."

"You could save her! Look how many of you there are! You don't need me, and besides. I. Don't. Want. To. Help!" I reply hotly.

She shakes her head sadly. "Apollo... Yeah, we can save her. But we're gonna lose a ton of kids. Kids who don't deserve to die." She brushes past me.

I look at the kids again. There's so many... And only a few will return.

"Clarrise!" I call out.

She turns around. "You comin' or not?"

I grin, and race down the hill after her.

This is going to be fun.

Thalia POV

I'm in a cell. No, that's not the right word.

I was beaten and drugged, taken to some cold, damp place.

All I know is this: Luke is responsible.

Luke Castellan has captured me.

I haven't seen him yet, but I wouldn't mistake that voice. He even called me Thunderbolt.

I'm chained, bound, hexed, and hurt. I can't move a muscle, can hardly think...

Suddenly, I see a bright light. And a figure. It could be no one else.

Luke.

"Thalia. How... nice to see you again. He grins, but there is no happiness in that face.

There's something over my mouth, or maybe it's a spell. All I know is I can't talk.

"Never thought see you like this," he says with glee. I struggle. He notices, and snaps his fingers. "Take the tape off."

Two creatures come up and rip something sticky off my mouth. It stings. "Really Luke? Duct Tape?" I accuse him.

"I thought you would enjoy it." He winks.

"What do you want from me? Obviously, you're pretty stupid to take me. But we already knew that."

He smirks. "You should treat me a little better, Thunderbolt. I'm in control here."

"What do you want from me."

"Oh... Not much. It just gets... Lonely here. With only beasts to keep me company. And I thought... Why not get my good old friend Thalia here. Also..." He trails off.

"Luke! How did you even know I was BACK? And what 'also'?"

"Slow down there. I have my resources. And those same resources tell me that people are coming, right now, to save you."

I look up, hope filling me. "But... What was the point of the whole New York thing? Why did you just... Plant me in New York?"

"I found it funny. I drugged you, and put you in a place that would cause the most confusion. You always looked so... Beautiful when you were scared."

"Um... Luke? What do you mean?" he's freaking me out.

In response, he cackles, and walks out the door. It closes behind him.

Again I am left in darkness.

_**Oh, Luke... You're such a creeper... XD And Apollo is HELPING! OMZ (Oh My Zeus!) **_

_**R&R?**_

_**-3.1415927**_


	5. And The Ship Goes BOOM

_**I have such bad writers blcock that I couldn't even type up an A/N for like ten minutes. So sorry if this epically sucks. **_

_**I own nothing. **_

_**See? I can't even make my Disclaimer catchy.**_

Apollo 1st POV

Man, I'm surprised we can all fit in this tiny van...

That's what's running through my head at the moment. Oh, and trying not to have a heart attack (is that even possible?) from being so close to Clarisse.

All the kids are suited up in heavy metal armor, tricked out to their specifications. A girl from Artemis's cabin has two quivers, each full of arrows, melded into the back or her armor. Her bow is chained to her with a mesh belt, and four daggers are strapped to her chest.

And she's got the least amount of weapons on the bus.

Clarrise, on the other hand, has more than every kid put together.

A sword on each side of her hips, a sash of grenades, two daggers in each boot, another sword on her back, three pistols, a machine gun, and her own two fists.

I was almost too scared to look at her.

Almost.

But when I did stare, I got slapped.

Hard.

I sigh. "Well, what do you wanna talk about?"

She glares. "I don't want to talk."

"So how are you?" I ask, ignoring her.

"Annoyed."

I laugh. "What's your favorite color?"

"Why do you want to know?" She asks suspiciously.

"I just... I want to know you better."

"That's creepy." She gives me a half smile. "And it's orange."

"Ooh, orange. Like the sun." I wink. That got me punched.

"That's not why, idiot!" She's smiling. It's like being bathed in sunlight. And I should know, after all.

"Well then do you care to say why?"

"Well, it's bright, but not overbearing, you know?" She shakes her head.

"Uh, yeah..."

She huffs. "Well, you were the one who wanted to talk."

"Wanna hear a joke?"

"Fine, whatever."

"What'd the fish say when it ran into a wall?"

A smirk. "Tell me."

"Dam." She giggles a bit, then explodes into a fit of laughter. **_[A/N: I know it's not that funny... But I tried at humor, so that's what you get!]_**

I can't help it. I laugh too. Until a couple of kids, two from Aphrodite and three from Ares start pointing at us a whispering.

My eyes narrow. "What, care to take a picture? It'll last longer." That shuts them up.

"Well, we were just, uh..." One of them, a boy from Ares, stammers out.

An Aphrodite girl takes charge. "It's just, I've never seen Clarrise try to flirt. Guess I know why; she sucks." Why was she being like this? There's something in her eyes. Could it be jealousy?

The other Aphrodite laughs. The Ares kids look uncomfortable.

Clarrise, on the other hand, is giving them a glare so cold I'm surprised they haven't frozen over yet.

It works. They flinch, and look away. But Clarrise isn't laughing anymore. Or smiling.

"You, um, want me to tell another joke?"

She stares at me. "Just leave me alone."

"Okay, uh..." I trail off. Now I feel bad. Me, Apollo, feels bad.

A tap on my shoulder startles me, but being me, I don't show it. It's one of the Ares kids, the boy who talked first.

"What do you want?" I ask, putting venom in my voice. Why I did it, I don't know. When did I care this much about a girl? Ugh, this is confusing. I hate being confused.

"Uh, I just..." He fidgets.

"Spit it out already."

"I just wanted you to know that we were just talking to those Aphrodite's because, well, Annie, another girl from my cabin, thinks that Clarrise likes you and we all agree and since they're daughters of love we wanted their opinion..." He's rambling.

I put my hand over his mouth. His eyes get wide. "You really think that?" I try to keep the excitement out of my voice.

"Yeah," he mumbles through my hand. I drop my arm and ask him why he thinks that.

"Well, first off, she's actually talking to you. I've known her for five years, and didn't know what her favorite color was. Also, when she hits you, she smiles."

I glance at her. She's staring moodily off into space.

"Thanks," I say as I turn back towards her. "Hey, Clarrise!"

"What."

"Come give Apollo a nice big hug!" I throw open my arms.

When she punches me this time, I see the smile. And it makes me happy.

The driver, Argus, announces, "We are approaching the ocean. Please, when I stop the car, exit single file and await orders.

Everyone crowds to the window, trying to get a better look at the water. It's sad how much some of these kids have missed of the world, being pinned up in Camp Half-Blood.

Once out of the car, Argus gives us the orders. "The ship will be docking soon to fuel up. We'll board then. Once inside, hide and wait until we are farther from land.

"Don't want any innocent civilians getting hurt, do we?" As he puts it.

The boat docks sooner than expected. Once aboard, the kids scurry around looking for a hiding spot. I crouch down next to Clarrise in the storage room.

After about ten minutes, I'm getting restless. "Something seems wrong here."

"Yeah, something seems strange to me, too."

"You're both just paranoid." It's that Percy kid again. "Now just shut up and stay down."

My heart is pounding. This isn't right... There's something I'm missing... Luke, ship, Thalia, monsters, army...

"That's it! There's no one onboard this ship besides us!"

"Apollo, that's crazy. Of course there is. Now SHUT UP." Percy again.

"Think about it." I'm standing up now. "We haven't seen anybody, or heard anybody." He ponders this.

An that point, the boy from earlier runs into the room, yelling, "I've found Thalia's bracelet! The one with the microchip in it! She's not here, they're not here!"

"Well, that makes me feel foolish," Percy says as he gets up and stretches his back.

That's when the puzzle pieces come together. "We have to get off the ship NOW!" I yell.

"What-?" Clarisse begins.

That's when I hear it, when I feel it. The detonation. I throw myself at Clarisse, protecting her with my body. The ship explodes into a fiery death trap that Luke so effortlessly pulled off.

**_Hope that was okay... It got better for me once I started writing. How'd you like my lame attempt at humor? ...don't answer that._**

**_Stay tuned until next time! _**

**_-3.1415927_**

**_PS: Do you guys think that this story is Romance/Comedy, or Romance/Drama? Or some other combination? Please, tell me. It would help me define the story better. Thanks!_**


	6. Whose Wedding is it, Anyways?

_**Pi: Hello again my dear, dear reader! I've decided to have some one here to help commentate and hopefully put a smile upon your face. It's...**_

_**Apollo: Me! **_

_**Pi: Yup. So I'm finally updating. And I was reading through some of my older chapters, and every time I came upon a grammar mistake I slapped myself. My face hurts now.**_

_**Apollo: So the ship went boom and I was flirting. No surprise.**_

_**Pi: D: I thought the whole ship exploding was a total surprise. Oh well... **_

_**Apollo: That's not what I-**_

_**Pi: I OWN NOTHING! 'Cept some of my ideas.**_

Thalia 1st POV

In the near distance, I hear an explosion go off. I know only one person could have done it without flinching.

Luke.

I know, because one, he captured me and put me and has put me through hell for the three days, and two, because he's laughing like a maniac right in front of me.

"Now who's gonna save you, Thunderbolt?" He says with mock sympathy.

"I don't need anybody to save me," I snarl.

Luke just laughs some more. "I'll see you at dinner," he calls from the doorway. Then I am plunged into blackness once more.

But the dark is good. It gives me time to think.

Time to plan.

Time to plot.

The ropes tying me don't seem too strong or tight, but they're probably woven through with celestial bronze. That would explain why my bonds are glowing with an other-worldly light, and why my skin is slightly burning where they're touching me.

I tug at them. No change. I yank, pull, wrench, and flail, but nothing happens.

_Should have known nothing would happen,_ I think to myself. _I've been doing the same thing for the past three days._

My wrists, ankles, and stomach ache from the tampered restraints. My mouth is dry. My stomach feels like it's being twisted into knots.

I haven't had food or drink since before I was captured.

"Luke, if you're gonna keep house guests, it's nice to nourish them!" I screech, my voice hoarse.

The beast on guard cackles at my distress and pokes me with his sword.

"This one's feisty, ain't she?" He croons to the other guard.

"She sure is," he drawls.

"Makes a mighty fine bride for the Great Lord, don't she?"

I inhale sharply. "B-bride?"

The both howl with laughter, but that's all the response I get.

The darkness continues. My stomach growls louder and louder with every minute.

"Luke, if you don't get down hear with a freaking feast in the next five minuets, I'm going to eat my left arm!"

Almost as soon as I say that, he steps through the door with a couple of servants following. Each is carrying a plate of steaming hot food or goblets of liquid. The last one carries a table.

I blush, but I don't know why. "Speak of the devil."

He grins. "Hope this satisfies. I wouldn't want you to lose your pretty arm, would I?"

The blush deepens, but I fight my embarrassment.

"Just let me eat."

The two beasts from earlier take my chains and tie them to a grand chair at one end of the table. I am forced to follow.

They bow low and back away. I notice their hands are burned.

Luke is sitting at the other end, fingers steepled, eyeing me with a weird smile.

This is uncomfortable. He just continues with the smile.

_Screw it. _I dig into the nearest plateful and shovel some food into my mouth.

The pork tastes magnificent. Or at least, I hope it's pork. A moan escapes my lips as I take another huge bite.

He smirks, and laughs softly. I swallow my food with a big gulp of red liquid-better to not think what it is, just enjoy it- and look up.

"What?" I ask indifferently.

"Just watching you."

I shrug and continue to eat a different dish.

"Don't you think you should slow down?" He says after a moment.

"Why should I?" I mumble through a mouthful of food.

"Well, one, if you eat too fast after so long of nothing, then you will probably throw it all up."

I narrow my eyes. "So what? I'll just eat more. Unless you plan on making me starve again."

Luke titters. _That's... unnerving. _

There's a candle slowly burning between us. It's starting to get awkward again.

Suddenly, he jumps up from the other end of the table and runs to me.

I start to freak when he gets down on one knee and pulls something out of his coat pocket. Is he going to cut my leg off? My foot? Stab me, inject me, knock me out?

I sure wasn't ready for what Luke said next though.

"Will you marry me?" And what he had in his hands wasn't a knife, syringe, or gun.

It was a diamond ring.

_**Pi: That's the end for today!**_

_**Apollo: What does this have to do with ANYTHING that is going on?**_

_**Pi: It'll make sense later! Gosh.**_

_**R&R?**_


	7. We Are Not Alone

**_Pi: Hello again! Blah blah, lame excuse, I'll update more. Seriously this time._**

**_Apollo: Whatever you say..._**

**_Pi: Shoutout to ninjacow39, I'm glad you like my story! And look, I'm updating.:] Keep on writing, girl!_**

**_Apollo: Also to those who think my being a player is annoying,_**

**_Pi: I apologize. I was looking back, and it was pretty aggravating. I'll try to do better._**

**_~I own nothing~_**

Apollo POV

I hear screams, coming from all over the ship. They are screams of pain.

Beneath me, Clarisse is stunned. She isn't too badly hurt, a few scratches, but I think I may have protected her a little too hard.

She's unconscious.

I stand up and brush myself off, then listen for any other explosives. I even sniff the air.

Being a god does have certain advantages.

There seems to be another bomb, but I have no idea how long we have to get off what's left of the ship.

"Everyone who is able! Listen. There's another thing rigged somewhere on the ship. We either need to find it and disarm it, or get off the ship."

Percy nods, then runs off somewhere. Probably to find Annabeth. Those two are all the gossip on Olympus.

A few others follow the ocean demigod, but I hear several moans of the injured.

Grabbing a few kids, I run and put them as far from where I suspect the bomb is. I manage to get them all to relative safety, then go to find the other explosive.

Thing is, we're no longer alone on the boat.

A dozen Campe spot me and stop terrorizing the poor kid who was their captive. They start racing towards me, but with a few murmured words, they evaporate.

There's a tap on my shoulder. I spin around, expecting more monsters, but it's Clarisse.

"Oh, good, you're okay, I was-"

She cuts me off. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I was just wondering though. Why can't you just blast off all the monsters from this ship, like you just did with the Campe?"

"If only it were that easy. On earth, my powers are limited. I'm not in full form. Even that was a bit risky. Also, with that amount of power, who's to say it would only be the minions that disappeared?"

Clarisse thinks on that for a moment, then gives me a small smile. "You're smarter than I thought, Apollo."

I laugh, glad she seems all right. "But you will need something," she continues. "Here"

She hands me one sword, made of celestial bronze, and one gun. "It's loaded with bronze bullets," she explains.

"Oh, this I can have fun with."

We make our way through hordes of monsters, laughing. These are just minor minions, so a little touch of the bronze dissipates them.

Eventually, after much hacking and slashing and shooting, we make it to the engine room, where the smell of sulfur and gun powder is strongest.

Clarisse is in the lead, and I hear an "Oh, crap," come from her.

"What now?"

"Just come here," she whispers.

The door is guarded by two griffins, each about the size of a horse and with razor sharp claws.

"Let's do this," I mutter, and Clarisse nods her head.

She throws a grenade, and it stuns the two, but doesn't harm them.

Together, we charge the one in front, catching it off guard. It steps aside and flaps its wings in a hard down stroke, knocking us over.

The other griffin sees us and roars, loud enough to make us cover our ears. Clarrise takes two bronze daggers and shoves them into the first griffin's eyes.

It squeals in pain, writhing on the floor, then turns to ash. His companion is not amused.

With a deafening roar, it pounces on Clarisse. I slash down on its neck, but my sword gets stuck in it's tough hide.

Clarisse is up again, shooting with her machine gun. With a final groan, it falls over, defeated.

She's sweaty and covered in monster blood, but she's never looked better.

Still high on adrenaline, I cup her face in my hand and do something that surprises both of us.

I kiss her.

_**Pi: Fin. **_

_**Apollo: What? You're stopping right there? But I was getting into it!**_

_**Pi: Until next time, which will hopefully be soon. Review please! your input is greatly appreciated**_


	8. The Aftermath

_**Pi: Oh god oh god oh god hi!**_

**_Apollo: You gonna be okay?_**

**_Pi: Eventually. I got a laptop so I'll actually update because I can!:D Thank you to everyone reading, it means so much to me._**

Thalia POV

Stereotypically, when a girl has been proposed to, she screams. She cries. She says "yes" over and over again. She jumps up and down.

I'm not a stereotypical girl, but I did do one of those things. I screamed. Loud and long, and it eventually turned into a laugh. It was all so ridiculous. Here I was, trapped on a boat, held against my will, starved until recently, and all to propose to me?

Too preposterous.

That wasn't the response Luke was looking for. In fact, he looked disappointed and hurt.

I eventually got control of myself and looked him square in the eye.

"No." Of course I said no. You didn't think I would accept, did you?

Although, it was Luke Castellan...my Luke...

I shake my head, trying to rid the memories and thoughts of last night. My captor had said that he would wait for my answer, ignoring the fact that I had given it already.

It was a scam, a trick. It had to be.

Sighing, I shake my head again. I didn't want to admit it, but I desperately wanted to say yes. To let Luke have me. I wanted to pretend that nothing had changed between us.

That would be easy; the blonde haired boy could never make things easy.

It was one of the many things I loved about him, and that made it even harder.

Apollo POV

"What in hell are you doing?" That's not the reaction I was going for.

"I, um, well-" I stutter, trying to rationalize my recent doings to a very ticked Clarisse.

Enraged, she stomps her foot and says, "You think that just because I'm a 'damsel 'and we just went through 'distress' that you can kiss me? That's not how it works We have a mission to do, Apollo! And you can't just kiss a girl, either. You have to woo her."

Hope sparks in my heart, which has the nerve to think we have a chance, and it must have shown in my eyes, because she says, "Don't think that means you can keep being a creep, either."

"Clarisse, please..."

"I told myself I wouldn't fall for anyone. It's hard enough being a daughter of Ares; everyone thinks you could never amount to your brothers. I've worked hard to build up this image. I can't let you ruin it!"

Something clicks in my mind then. "You want approval." It sounds like a question, but I say it as a statement.

Clarisse slouches. "All I want is for Daddy to love me like he loves the boys," she sniffles.

Enveloping her in my arms, I whisper, "You are so much better than they could ever be. You're stronger, you work harder, and you're prettier than they could ever be."

I wished the moment could go on forever, but it's gone in a flash. The sound of claws and screeches outside the door remind us that the danger is not over.

"We have to disarm the explosive. Now."

I nod my head and we get to work, disabling the bomb in no time. Outside the door were a few minor beasts that we kill in no time, and we head back up to meet up with Percy and the others.

"Oh, and Apollo?"

Eagerly, I glance at the girl by my side.

"Don't think this changes anything," she mutters.

These words would usually hurt me, but one look into her eyes tells me she doesn't mean it. She just doesn't realize it yet.

**_Pi: Skadoosh! Chappy done!_**

**_Apollo: I'm exhausted..._**

**_Pi: I'll be back soon, don't worry. Please review!_**


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